Pheidole machaquila

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Pheidole machaquila
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Pheidole
Species: P. machaquila
Binomial name
Pheidole machaquila
Longino, 2019

Pheidole machaquila CASENT0614274 p.jpg

Pheidole machaquila CASENT0614274 d.jpg

Paratype Labels

This species is known from one site in the Petén region of Guatemala. It was an area with small patches of second growth moist forest on a karst landscape. The one collection was from a ground bait, with a strong recruitment of minor and major workers.

Identification

Minor: face uniformly foveolate; promesonotal groove absent, promesonotum evenly convex; entire mesosoma foveolate; propodeal spines about two thirds length of posterior face of propodeum; gaster shagreened, matte; face, mesosomal dorsum, and gastral dorsum with sparse, short, erect setae; tibiae without erect setae; color orange yellow.

Major: inner hypostomal teeth distinct, closely spaced, blunt medial tooth also prominent; scape base terete; antennal scrobes very shallow, not sharply delimited; entire face foveolate, overlain with irregular, mostly longitudinal rugulae, these strongest anteriorly, fading posteriorly; propodeal spines about two thirds length of posterior face of propodeum; first gastral tergite entirely matte; abundant erect setae on sides of head, dorsal mesosoma, and gaster; tibiae lacking erect setae.

Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.45, HL 0.54, SL 0.62, EL 0.10, WL 0.62, PSL 0.09, PTW 0.08, PPW 0.12, CI 84, SI 136, PSLI 20, PPI 144 (n=2).

Measurements, major worker: HW 0.93, HL 1.01, SL 0.67, EL 0.12, WL 0.82, PSL 0.12, PTW 0.13, PPW 0.22, CI 92, SI 72, PSLI 13, PPI 173 (n=2).

This species is similar to Pheidole phanigaster. The minor worker differs in matte gaster (shiny in P. phanigaster). The major worker differs in longer scapes (mean SI 72 vs. 61) and lighter orange color.

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Guatemala (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

Worker

Minor

Images from AntWeb

Pheidole machaquila CASENT0614275 h.jpgPheidole machaquila CASENT0614275 p.jpgPheidole machaquila CASENT0614275 d.jpgPheidole machaquila CASENT0614275 l.jpg
Paratype Minor. Specimen code CASENT0614275. Photographer M. Pierce.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • machaquila. Pheidole machaquila Longino, 2019: 45, fig. 14 (w.) GUATEMALA.

Type Material

  • HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Guatemala, Petén: 13km NW Machaquilá, 16.44612 -89.54969 ±59 m, 400 m, 29-May-2009, tropical moist forest, at bait (LLAMA, Ba-B-06-4-04-17) [MCZC, unique specimen identifier CASENT0614273].
  • PARATYPES: major, minor workers: same data as holotype [CAS, DZUP, JTLC, MCZC, USNM, UVGC].

Description

Etymology

From the type locality.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Longino J. T. 2019. Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Middle American wet forest. Zootaxa 4599: 1-126